Machine for drying printed or coated fabrics.



Patented Dec. l9, I899.

J. J. BEALE.

MACHlNE FOB DRYING PRINTED 0R COATED FABRICS.

(Application filed July 20, 1899.) (No Model.)

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ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS co. FNOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. n, c,

NlTED STATES FFIC.

I ATENT JAMES J. BEALE, OF NEWARK, NEXV JERSEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,650, dated DecemberlQ, 1899. Application filed July 20, 1899. Serial No. 724,445. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES J. BEALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Drying Printed or Coated Fabrics; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to facilitate the operation of drying oil-cloth and similar enameled fabrics, to enable the machine to be operated more continuously and effectively, to effect a saving of space and secure a more compact structure, to provide a more convenient and expeditious method of removing the dried fabric from the drying-chambers, to enable many drying-chambers to be used in connection with a single movable printing or coating machine, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved machine for printing and drying fabrics, such as oil-cloths, rubber goods, paper, and so forth,

. and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each view, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved machine, showing one of the drying devices in section on line y, Fig. 2, and certain interior plates being broken away to show the inner parts more clearly. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, one of the driers being shown in section upon line as, Fig. 1.

In said drawings, a indicates a printinginachine or a machine of any suitable con strnction for applying to the fabric an imprint or layer of enamel, varnish, ink, or any other coating to be dried. The roll I) of blank fabric to be printed or coated is pivoted directly underneath the machine, and said fabric is led upward through the machine and under the knife a, where it receives the coating, by means of suitable rollers a a a It is evident upon reference to Fig. 1 that by changing the course of the fabric over said rollers and reversing the knife a the coated fabric may be caused to emerge from either side of the printing machine desired. After leaving the printing-machine the coated fabric is received upon the slatted drying-chain, as shown in Fig. l and hereinafter more fully described. 7

0 indicates one of the drying chambers or devices, two of which at least are adapted to be used with a printing-machine, on opposite sides thereof, and comprising a casing 0, providing suitable bearings 0 for a shaft h, which extends through said chamber and carries at one end an outside belt-pulley g for receiving power. If preferred, the said drying-chambers may be mounted on casters or wheels; but in the present construction I prefer to have the drying-chambers stationary and use a plurality of them in connection with a single movable printing-machine.

'VVithin the casing o a fixed sleeve h is arranged upon the shaft h, and a drying-chain 1 of any suitable construction for carrying the freshly-coated fabric is adapted to be wound on said sleeve. Said drying-chain preferably consists of two series of links '5 1'', arranged a suitable distance apart and parallel to one another. Drying-rods i 2' extend transversely of the chain at suitable intervals and are attached at or near the ends to the opposite series of links in any ordi-' nary manner. A broad ladder-like belt is thus formed, upon which the fabric lies with the coated surface uppermost, and as the whole is wound upon the reels the side chains t" 1" hold the slats of one coil or layer above those of the next layer, so that a space is provided between for the fabric, where nothing can come in contact with the coated surface. Side plates 70 project upward at both sides to provide end bearings or guides for the successive layers as they are wound on the shaft. At one side of the chamber a heat-box is formed adjacent to the end of the reel, and in said heat-box are steam-pipes k, the wall of the heat-box next to the reel being perforated to permit a passage of the heat from the said pipes to the coils of fabric. Suitable openings 1', adapted to be closed by sliding covers r, are provided in the outer walls of the drying-chambers to regulate the temperature and circulation of air within.

In practice several drying-chambers are used in connection with one printingmachine, said driers being arranged in parallel rows at opposite sides of the printing-rnachine, which is movable along the row of driers; or, if preferred, the driers may be movable and the printing-machine left in one place.

The printing or coating machine (.L stands on a raised platform m, having at its opposite ends idle pulleys m, permitting the drying-chain to pass underneath the printingmachine upon rollers m m from one dryingchamber to the opposite one of a pair.

\Vhen coated fabric is being wound onto one drier from the coating-machine, as shown in Fig. 1, the drying-chain is being supplied from the opposite drier, and the dried fabric as the chain 'unwinds is diverted from the chain as it passes out of the drying-chamber and is led downward to a winding-jack 2. Said winding-jack comprises brackets 3 3, projecting toward the printing-machine from near the opposite ends of the drier and at their outer ends providing bearings for the opposite ends of a shaft a. Said shaft is for its middle portion between the bearings angular in cross-section to receive a removable drum or shell, upon which the dried fabric is wound into suitable rolls. To enable said drum to be inserted and removed, the shaft 4 is made in two sections joined together just inside one of the bearings, one of the abutting ends having a socket 5, in which the correspondingly-reduced extremity 6 of the other end fits. The bearing 7 farthest from the said joint in the shaft is open at the top, so that the reduced end of the shaft can be lifted out therefrom and drawn longitudinally to separate the shaft at the joint. The drum can then be removed from the shaft or inserted thereon and the shaft replaced.

The fixed portion of the shaft 4. projects beyond its bearing 8 and receives a pulley 9,

said pulley taking power from a belt 10, leading from a pulley 11, fast on the upper roller 12, over which the drying-chain passes, said roller having sprocket-wheels l3 engaged by said drying-chain. A lock-nut 14 on the inner end of the stationary port-ion of the shaft t prevents any outward movement of the same.

The pulleys driving the shafts h and 4t, upon which the winding is done, are slipping pulleys of any usual construction, adapted to allow the shaft to move at a varying speed as the size of the roll varies. I have shown said slipping pulleys as comprising. a braceplate 15, fast on the shaft and having a renewable facing 16, a loose pulley 17, and a spring 18 and nut 19 for pressing said loose pulley against the brace-plate.

Any other ordinary construction could, however, be used equally well.

The pulley 9 upon the central shaft h of a drier is driven by a belt 20, communicating with any suitable source of power.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a device for drying printed or-c'oated fabric, the combination with a drying-chamher having an interior reel adapted to receive a drying-chain upon which the fabric is spread, an upper roller over which said chain passes, sprocket-wheels on said roller by means of which it is positivelyturned by the chain, brackets projecting from the side of the drier, a shaft pivoted in bearings in said brackets and means for transmitting power from said upper roller to said shaft, and a removable drum upon said shaft to receive the fabric as the drying-chain is unwound, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device for drying printed or coated fabrics, the combination witha printing or coating machine, of driers arranged at the opposite sides of said printing-machine and provided with reels adapted to receive a drying-chain, said drying-chain passing beneath the printing-machine and being adapted to be wound off one reel onto the other and discharge dried fabric while receiving a freshlyooated piece, each of said driers having pivoted at its side next the printing-machine a drum adapted to receive the fabric from the chain as said chain is unwound, and means for rotating said drum, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a printing-machine, of two drying-machines placed on opposite sides of the printing-machine, said printing-machine being elevated and providing a passage-way beneath for the dryingchain, reels in said drying-machines and adrying-chain adapted to be wound from one reel to the other through said passage-way beneath the printing-machine, substantially as set'forth.

e. The combination with a machine for printing or coating fabrics, said machine be= ing elevated to provide a passage-way beneath, of drying-machines arranged on opposite sides of said printing-machine, and having reels pivoted therein and heat-boxes adjacent to said reels, and a carrying-chain fastened at its ends to said reels and passing beneath the printing-machin c, said chain being adapted to be wound from one reel to the other and discharge dried fabric from one drying-machine and receive freshly-printed fabric into the other at the same time, substantially as set forth.

5. In a device for drying printed or coated fabrics, the combination of two drying-machines placed at opposite sides of the printing-machine, a transverse shaft and a sleeve thereon in each dryingnnaehine, pulleys at the ends of said shafts adapted to receive motive power from a belt, heat-boxes in said drying-machines and a chain adapted to run beneath the printing-machine from one machine to the other and be wound upon said sleeves upon said transverse shafts, substantially as set forth.

6. A drying apparatus for printed or coat-ed fabrics, comprising an outer box or casing, a reel pivoted in said box, afiexible chain adapted to be Wound on said reel, and a heat-box arranged at one end of said reel and containing steam-pipes, the partition of said heatbox adjacent to the reel being perforated to allow free passage of the heat through the coils of chain on said reel, substantially as set forth.v

7. A drier comprising a closed box or casing, a reel pivoted in said box, a chain adapted to be Wound upon and unwound from said reel, anda heat-box inside of said casing at one end of the reel, said heat-box having its wall adjacent to said reel perforated to permit the heat to pass between the coils on said.

reel, substantially as set forth.

' 8. The combination in a drier, of an outer casing, a reel pivoted in said casing, a drying-chain adapted to be wound on said reel, and a heat-box arranged in said casing adjacent to said reel, the Walls of said casing being provided with openings and slides for said openings whereby the temperature in said drier may be regulated, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of June, 1899.

JAMES J. BEALE.

Witnesses:

CHARL S H. PELL, O. B. PITNEY. 

